Health:

To enable the achievement and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle for individuals living in Herkimer and Oneida Counties.

- Programs that address babies being born at a gestational age of at least 32 weeks*

- Programs that support persons 18+ working towards a healthy weight*

- Programs that enable persons 65+ to achieve and maintain good health

Education:

To enable children and youth in Herkimer and Oneida Counties to be ready for school and prepared to be successful in life.

- Programs that improve the number of third graders reading at grade level*

- Programs that support middle school students being proficient in math and English*

- Programs that enable high school students to graduate on time*

Income:

To provide opportunities and support for every individual in our community, to achieve and sustain financial self-sufficiency.

- Programs that promote opportunities for students who leave high school to receive a GED*

- Programs that promote financial self-sufficiency for individuals and families

Community Safety Net:

To support our community so that it can respond to those individuals and families in crisis living in Herkimer and Oneida Counties.

Feeding Individuals or Families

- Food distribution (high priority)

- Prepared meals

Providing Shelter

- Short-term shelter for individuals or families facing domestic violence and/or sexual assault (high priority)

- Short-term shelter for other homeless individuals or families

Crisis Response

- Natural and man made disaster response services

Crisis Prevention

- Legal assistance focusing on helping individuals with short-term, immediate crisis needs

- Advocacy support to ensure that individuals birth through adult are not put in a position to be without food or safe housing

Community Empowerment Grant:

Community Empowerment Grants are a third funding opportunity new for the United Way in 2011. These are micro grants for $5,000 and less that address one of the indicators from the Leadership Alliance for a Vital Community, Indicator Study (www.hocindicators.org). United Way is looking to support programs that address any of the Indicators in the areas of Health, Education, or Financial Self-Sufficiency. These grants will be awarded twice a year, once in June and once in December.